Rose of Bavaria, Princess of England
by NorthNova
Summary: Mary dared defy her father and left England to be with the man she loved. But history will have its way.
1. Prologue

_The night air was cold and the sky was cloudless, the stars shining brightly. The soft sound of the water was the only sound to be heard, everything was so quiet. It was almost as if nature itself knew what Mary was doing as she stepped down the gangway of the ship and followed a guard down the pier towards a waiting carriage. She could hardly breath, only look around in fear of what could be waiting in the dark. She hoped she would feel safe once they reached Germany, but her fear had not settled. It had become more controllable, yes, but she was still fearful. In England, she had been almost scared to death at the thought of someone should found out she had left, and she only felt a little better now._

"_This way, quickly, Madam." the guard said and looked back at her. Mary picked up speed and soon reached the guard's side. He didn't look at her, with his hand constantly at the sword by his side._

"_We must hurry. Though we are in Germany, we still have far to go." he said, his voice barely audible. Mary nodded slightly. Her breath misted in front of her and she was careful not to let her footsteps be heard. They reached the carriage, and the guard opened the door. Mary quickly stepped in, and as soon as the door was closed, the carriage was moving. Now there was no way back. She could not stop now. She had told herself this as she stepped up the gangway to the ship when she left England, but now she truly felt that there was no way back. She had to do this now, no matter what._

_As the carriage made its way through the sleeping town, Mary looked out the window and gazed at the sky. The stars shined brightly that night. She smiled as she tried to imagine what her mother would think of her. She hoped her mother would not disapprove her Mary's actions and her decision on leaving England. But somehow she felt that her mother would be happy for her. After all, had her mother not known what it was to love deeply, so deeply that you were ready to do anything to be with the one you love?_

"_You better rest, Madam. We have a long journey, and will only stop a few times before reaching our destination." the driver called. Mary replied tiredly. Suddenly she did feel tired. She leaned back and closed her eyes and soon fell asleep._

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_Mary opened her eyes and looked out. And feared that her heart would stop. For there it was. The manor was a large building, standing in the middle of a clearing, like a godsend lodging for the night. The carriage was shaking uncomfortably as it rolled up the pathway to the large manor. Or perhaps it was just Mary's nerves that played her a trick. The sun shined brightly on the sky and there was a sweet scent of flowers in the air. Birds were singing in the trees, and Mary felt her heart sing with them. Finally she was here. She sighed nervously and leaned back in the carriage._

_The carriage stopped and the door was opened. A hand reached out to help Mary out. She gently reached out her hand to take it and suddenly recognized the owner. Without a word she stepped out and stared into two long missed eyes, which gazed happily into hers. An a bright smile was on those lips, which she had longed for so long. Philip had come to greet her._

"_I am so happy you are here, my love." he whispered and pulled Mary into a warm, protective embrace. Mary felt her cheeks blush as his arms reached around her and held tight. Now she was safe. Nothing and no one could harm her now. She wanted to stay like this forever, but finally she pulled away._

"_Did you have a safe journey?" Philip asked and caressed her cheek. First now she realized that tears had been running down and Philip was attempting to dry them away._

"_Yes. Everything went well." Mary replied with a smile. Philip smiled back, relieved. Then he took her hand and walked with inside._

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_The garden was well-kept and beautiful. It was so full of colour and new scents at any turn that Mary felt relaxed and happy. She had always adored nature, and this was the most extraordinary thing she had seen._

_She found Philip sitting on a bench under a large oak. He smiled as he saw her coming. Mary blushed and smiled back. She sat down beside him, her hands laying folded in her lap._

"_Did you sleep well?" he asked, his voice so gentle and soft. Mary nodded, not daring to look at his face._

"_Are you happy that you came here?" he then asked, his voice rising a little in strength. Mary was perhaps mistaken, but there seemed to be a little hint of nervousness in his voice. She smiled at him, wanting him to know that she was happier than ever._

"_I am." she smiled sweetly. Philip happily smiled back. Then he stood up, as if encouraged by her words, and knelt in front of her._

"_Mary, will you marry me?"_

"_My God." Mary whispered, using the last air in her lungs. All her blood had rushed to her head, and she felt dizzy. But in a good way. In the best of ways. "Yes. Yes! Yes, I will, Philip!"_

_She flung her arms around Philip who fell to the ground, pulling Mary with him. He landed on the ground with Mary laying on top of him. He pulled her closer and kissed her passionately. Mary felt her whole body tremble and it was as if all had disappeared and only the two of them existed. Philip pushed Mary over, so she lay on the back. He supported himself with his hand firmly resting on the ground beside Mary's head. with his free hand he caressed her face and hair. He didn't speak, he only looked at her._

"_I have arranged a small ceremony tomorrow night. Two of my closest friends will attend as witnesses." Philip said. Mary smiled. Tomorrow. Tomorrow she would be married._

_They went back inside, and a young servant girl was ordered to transform one of Mary's dresses into a wedding-gown. That night Mary fell asleep thinking of the future she was facing, as Duchess of Bavaria. For that was to be her title when her and Philip married._

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_Then came the day of the wedding. Mary was discreetly escorted to a nearby church. As she stood outside waiting to walk in, she felt a sting of sadness. She had always imagined that she would have her parents by her side on her wedding-day, that her father would walk her up the aisle, that her mother would smile proudly as she saw her husband and daughter approach. But she was alone. All alone. But she made herself think about Philip, and slowly she gathered strength to walk through the door and make the long journey up the aisle. Philip stood by the alter with his two friends behind him. Other than that, the church was empty. But it was still decorated with flowers, and the men were still dressed in their finest clothes._

_Philip smiled as Mary reached him and stopped beside him. They both turned to the priest, who began to speak. Mary was only present in mind enough to know when the priest had come to the vows. At the moment, his voice rang clear in her head._

"_Do you, Philip, take this woman by your side to your lawful wedded wife?"_

"_I do."_

_Mary's heart skipped a beat as she heard Philip's voice._

"_And do you, Mary, take this man by your side to your lawful wedded husband?"_

"_I do." Mary answered clearly. All doubt was gone, all fear long departed._

"_The rings, please."_

_One of the Philip's friends stepped forward with the rings. The priest blessed them and Philip took one and gently slipped it onto Mary's finger. As did Mary._

"_With this ring, I thee wed. With my body, I thee worship. And with all my worldly goods, I thee endow. In the name of the Farther, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, amen."_

"_I hereby declare you man and wife. Go in peace." the priest announced. Now it was done. Now they were married. A true and valid marriage. Slowly Philip stepped forward to kiss his wife. The two friends clapped happily, and together they walked out of the church and back to the manor. As the newly-weds stepped out of the church, Mary shined brighter than the sun itself._

_After a simple dinner with Philip's friends, the friends left. Mary and Philip retired to their bedchambers. Mary was helped out of her dress by her maid. She felt completely numb as she stepped out of her dressed, only wearing her undergarments. Her maid left and closed the door. Now she was alone. She walked around, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She heard the door creak and turned around. Philip approached, slowly, with a calm look in his eyes. She walked ahead, not being able to look at her husband. Her body was freezing and trembling. Philip took her hand and led her to the bed. He slowly loosened her gown which landed on the floor. Mary nervously sat on the bed, moving to lay down. Philip lay down beside her, lifting his body above hers. He took off his shirt and tossed it on the floor. She lifted her hand and moved it across his chest. He lowered his head and kissed her lips. He moved so he lay directly above her, placing his arms around her, pulling her close. He still kissed her, and Mary slowly moved her legs up on each side of Philip. She trembled and let out a sigh. But Philip's kiss made her relax. It was sweet, relaxing and she completely let herself vanish into it, following his lead, following the moves of his body against hers._

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_The birds were singing cheerfully outside. Mary heard it clearly from the tree just outside the bedroom window. She smiled and opened her eyes. She looked to her side and saw that she was alone. She saw up, pulling the covers tightly around her. She rubbed her eyes and remembered last night. She blushed as she remembered it. She smiled and slowly moved out of bed. She found a robe and put it on. She walked to the window and looked out. The sun shined and there was no cloud on the sky._

"_Good morning, my dearest." a voice said behind her. A gentle kiss was placed on her cheek and she was now being help by two strong arms. She sighed happily and closed her eyes. Philip let her go and sat on the bed._

"_Are you hungry?" he asked._

"_A little." Mary answered and smiled._

"_Then let us go for breakfast." Philip said and walked with Mary downstairs._

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"_Oh, you won again!" Mary exclaimed and threw the remaining cards on the table. Both Mary and Philip laughed, and Philip gathered the cards for a new game._

"_You are getting better, though." he said._

"_I should hope so." Mary chuckled. She took her cup with water and drank some. She put the cup back on the table and took up the cards that Philip had just given her. Oh, with these cards she would never win. But she didn't mind._

_There was a loud knock on the front-door. Mary and Philip looked up. They looked at each other and waited for a servant to go see who it was. They heard a servant walk to the door and the creaking of the door._

"_Where is she?" a loud voice roared. They heard the servant exclaim a quick answer. A sound of someone being slapped and then a whimpering. Philip stood up, but Mary stopped him._

"_Mary!"_

_The door was flung up, and King Henry of England stood in the door. His eyes were red with fury and his moved slowly forward, like a lion holding in the anger until the absolute moment._

"_Father?" Mary asked, looking straight at her father. But Henry said nothing. He just walked towards his daughter. Mary knew his anger would explode any moment now. She could see it in his eyes. And she felt it. Now it was a matter of moments._

"_My daughter." he said calmly. But then he could not hold it back. His anger exploded, no longer could it be restrained. He rushed forward, taking hold of Mary's arm. He pulled her up, holding her arms. "My own daughter! How dared you do this? Disobeying me like this!"_

"_Father, if you would only listen…"_

"_No, be quite! You betrayed me! You disobeyed me!" Henry shouted._

"_Let her go!" Philip shouted and rushed forward to pull Mary out of Henry's grasp. But Henry now turned to Philip. He let go of Mary and flung his fists at Philip, hitting him in the face. Philip fell to the floor, blood running from his nose. Mary screamed and moved forward towards Philip, but she was held back by Henry, who still looked at Philip._

"_You have violated a Princess of England! I should have you hanged for this!" he shouted._

"_Father, you don't understand! I love him!" Mary shouted, holding desperately on to her father's arm._

"_Love him?" Henry asked with furious sarcasm. "Do you love this violator? Do you deny, boy, that you seduced and raped my daughter?" He looked at Philip, who had now sat up, whipping away the blood from his nose._

"_I did nothing of the sort." Philip said angrily, slowly standing up._

"_Such impudence!" Henry hissed and raised his hand to strike again. But Mary jumped in between them. Henry stopped with his arm above his head, looking down at Mary's tear-full face. He just stopped and looked down at her. At his daughter. His Mary. His little girl._

"_I love him, father. And I came of own free will." Mary said slowly and calmly. Slowly Henry lowered his arm._

"_You disobeyed me. You did not have my permission to go." Henry said loudly, his temper lightened a little._

"_Do I really need your permission to love? To marry?" Mary asked. Her father didn't understand her, why wouldn't he understand._

"_I am your father and your king! And you ask my permission before you even as much as consider leaving England!" Henry shouted, pointing his finger at Mary, moving close to her face._

"_But I love him, Father. Please." Mary pleaded. Tears ran down her cheeks, and her hands were trembling. Mary hoped her father would see reason. Surely he of all knew what it was like to fall in love, to love and loved in return. She looked directly into her father's eyes, hoping to see a change in him._

"_Both you and your… husband are banished from court. And your husband will no longer be welcome to set foot on English soil. And should he as much as attempt to do so, I will have him hanged." Henry announced grimly. Mary did not move an inch. She was going to give in or give up. "I will not even bother myself annulling your marriage."_

_Mary knew this was threat. A threat to see if Mary would give up court and her home and life in England for her husband. And knowing how long it could take Henry to forgive a betrayal like this, Mary also knew a part of the threat was banishment for an unknown period of time. But Mary refused. For there was one thing Henry could not see. Philip had become her life and this house had become her home._

"_Very well." Mary said. "Then I choose to stay with my husband."_

_Henry sighed deeply, clearly not expecting this. He still looked at Mary, looking for a flicker of doubt or regret. But he found none. All he saw was clear, determined resolution. It was like looking into the eyes of Mary's mother. He still remembered that look, even so long time after their marriage. He hated that look, he despised it, he could not even describe the resentment he felt for it._

"_So be it."_

_And with those words, Henry left, closing the door behind him. Mary fell to her knees. Her hands were shaking as she reached up for Philip's hand. He sat down beside her, pulling her into a warm embrace. Tears ran down Mary's face, and her whole body was shaking. She sobbed quietly, feeling empty. The shock had still hold on her, and she felt weak and powerless. And she could do was to hold onto Philip and cry._

"_It's over now. It's over." he whispered gently. He stroke her hair and kissed her forehead. Slowly he stood up and lifted her up. He lifted her head upwards to face him. He looked directly at her and whipped away the tears on her cheeks._

"_I won't see him again." she whispered. She knew she wouldn't. She knew she wouldn't see him again. Not ever. Again she started sobbing, tears running down her cheek anew._

"_Yes, you will. One day he'll send for you." Philip said firmly. He wanted to be brave for her, support her. But he felt his own strength vanish after Henry's arrival, and he wasn't sure he could do it._

"_He hates me." Mary exclaimed, heartbroken._

"_Not really. Isn't it a sign that he cares when he comes here and is ready to kill me, because he thinks I raped you?" Philip asked and tried to smile. Mary smiled back trough the tears. He was right. She just had to give her father some time._

"_And remember, we have each other." Philip smiled and kissed Mary. Mary smiled back. Yes. They would always have each other. Always._

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**It was raining and it was cold. The wind howled and sneaked into the carriage, making Mary shiver and pull the fur-coat tighter around her and the little child in her arms. It was a little girl, about a year old. The girl had dark hair and green eyes. Mary looked at the child and smiled through her tired mask. Her eyes were red and she face was pale. She held her daughter close to her body. The child slept comfortably in her mother's arms. It did not know why her mother was sad, why they left their home or where they were going. She just slept peacefully, trusting and loving her mother._

_The carriage was fighting through the mud as it moved towards the royal palace. Mary didn't look out to see it. She had seen it so often and knew it so well that she didn't bother look. She clearly remembered every stone, every piece of wood in the palace._

_The carriage stopped and the door was opened. The child was taken from Mary's arms before Mary was helped out. Mary quickly took the child back, holding it ever more close to her body. She caressed the child as she walked towards the staircase._

"_Take my things to my room." she ordered as she moved up the stairs. Two guards bowed as she walked through the door._

"_Your Highness."_

_It was a long time since she had been called that. For the last two years she had been called "Your Grace". She apparently had to get use to "Your Highness" again, it seemed. But it didn't matter. It was just a title. Titles meant nothing. Nothing at all._

_Mary was escorted to the throne room. She waited outside with the child in her arms. A large group of people stood outside. Either courtiers or politicians waiting for an audience. Mary looked for a moment, then she looked away. A maid rushed towards her to take her coat. Luckily her hair wasn't wet because of her hood, but the last few inched on her dress were soaked._

"_Thank you." Mary said as the maid curtsied and left._

_Then the door opened and Mary stepped inside. On the throne sat Henry, the same Henry as she remembered. But by his side was a new wife. Catherine Parr. She had a warm and friendly look in her eyes and smiled as Mary entered the room. Mary noticed that the Queen wore a dark blue gown, but Henry was not wearing dark clothes._

"_Mary." Henry said and stood up. He walked down towards her. Mary curtsied, still holding the child in her arms. She looked down on the floor as her father walked closer. His walk was quite troubled. His leg apparently troubled him a great deal, just as it had done before. He stopped in front of her and lifted up her head with a finger beneath her chin._

"_Welcome at court." he said and Mary could see that he tried to smile._

"_Thank you, Your Majesty." Mary said. Unlike her father, Mary could not find it in her to smile. Henry looked back at his wife and gestured for her to come. The Queen stood up and stepped down beside Henry._

"_My Queen, Catherine Parr." Henry introduced._

"_I am glad to finally meet you, Your Majesty." Mary said and curtsied before the queen._

"_It is I, who am honoured." the Queen said. "And I am so sorry for your loss. How great a tragedy it must be to lose your husband and be alone with a small child."_

_Mary fell a sting in the heart. She hated when people offered their condolences. She hated it all. She just wanted to be back in Bavaria with her child. And her husband._

"_Yes. Is has indeed been hard." Mary said. The Queen placed a hand on Mary's shoulder and walked with into a small room beyond the throne room. They all sat down, the Queen taking seat between Mary and Henry. Mary still did not let go of her child._

"_How did your husband die?" Henry asked. Mary sighed. She could still not believe it had happened._

"_He got ill. First we thought it was a simple cold. But… as it turned out, it was worse than that. And… he… he never…"_

"_You don't have to say more. We understand." the Queen said and placed a comforting hand on Mary's arm. Mary smiled thankfully. It was still hard to say out loud. Much too hard. "But you still have your child. And she is so lovely."_

_The Queen looked at the girl who smiled back, having taken hold of the Queen's finger. Mary smiled affectionately._

"_Yes. She is my only treasure now."_

"_What is her name?" Henry asked._

"_Catherine."_

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**Okay, that was a VERY long chapter, but not too long, I hope? Future chapters will not be that long. But please review and let me know what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

"I wish you would stay Mary. You know your father and I love to have you and little Catherine here." the Queen said as she and her step-daughter walked down the corridor to the children's school-room. They didn't meet anyone on their walk, because the school-room was at a rather secluded corner of the palace, so the children would not be disturbed in their studies. It had been the Queen's idea, and His Majesty had not given any objections to the idea.

"You truly think of everything, my dear." he had said when she proposed the idea.

"I would be failing my duties if I did not." the Queen had replied with a smile.

Inside the school-room, Elizabeth sat with her niece by the window, holding a book in front of the little girl. The girl was frowning, as if she was concentrating a lot. As she indeed was. The older of the two had introduced the younger to something the little girl had never tried before. First translating a text into Latin, then into English and back into Latin. It had caused a lot of trouble to Catherine, but she tried her best.

"Was that right?" she asked and looked at her aunt. Elizabeth immediately smiled encouragingly and nodded

"Yes. You learn fast." she said.

"Certainly faster than I did." a voice said. Both girls looked up. By the fire sat Edward, also with a book in his hand. He smiled and stood up.

"You just say that to make me happy." Catherine sulked and looked down. Edward and Elizabeth smiled at each other as Edward sat down beside them.

"I mean it, Catherine. You are learning fast. You have your mother's head, that's for certain." Edward smiled and caressed his niece's cheek.

"Thank you, Edward. What nice of you to say."

All three children looked up and saw Mary approach with the Queen behind her. Mary walked towards Edward who now stood up. The two hugged as the Queen turned to the two girls.

"You have been here for hours now. Perhaps it's time to stop for today." she said and picked up Catherine who held on tight. She leaned her head against her step-grandmother's shoulder and smiled at her.

"I like it. I like spending time with aunt Elizabeth and uncle Edward." she said sweetly. The others chuckled and the Queen put Catherine down.

"Catherine, I think Grandfather has a present for you in the garden." Mary said and looked at her daughter. The child's eyes brightened, and soon she was gone. Mary watched as she left the room. She tried to smile, but she couldn't. Sometimes it was as if she had forgotten how to smile.

"She is such a sweet child. No trouble at all." Elizabeth said, looking at her sister. Mary nodded.

"I raised her as such." Mary said, not returning the look. She sat down and picked up the book the children had been reading. As soon as she saw the title, she looked at her sister and brother.

"Has Catherine been reading this?" she asked, her voice menacingly calm. Edward looked down, not wanting to meet his sister's eyes. The Queen closed her eyes for a short moment, she didn't want a scene to be made over this matter. Only Elizabeth dared to face Mary.

"Yes. She saw that I was reading it, and wanted to read it herself." she said, her voice not shivering the slightest. She stood stead-fast, looking directly into her sister's eyes.

"She wanted to read it herself, did she?" Mary asked angrily and stood up. "She wanted to read this book, a book about your religion? About such heresy!?"

"Mary, please!" Edward cried and stepped forward. He tried to get in between them, but was stopped by Elizabeth.

"Stay out of this, Edward." she said calmly.

Mary was fighting he boiling anger in her veins. She wanted to, oh, she wanted to! But such heresy! And her own sister had made an innocent child read it!

"I will not let you teach my daughter your sacrilegious learnings! She is my daughter! I will decide what she is to be taught!" Mary said angrily, holding the book up in front of her. But when she saw Elizabeth's defiance, the anger grew, it flowed like green poison in her veins, poisoning her mind and her words. But she could not help it. She would not be defied, Catherine was her daughter, her own!

A loud bang and the book was on the floor. Elizabeth opened her eyes and looked at Mary.

"Do not… ever!... let Catherine read such books again." she whispered. Her anger cooled and she sighed deeply. "You read it, since it's your choice. But keep it away from my daughter's innocent soul. That was the only condition I made when I agreed to let her be taught along with you and Edward."

"I will." Elizabeth replied clearly. Mary nodded thankfully and left the room. Left were the Queen, Elizabeth and Edward. They looked at each other. Edward walked to the door.

"I will talk to Mary."

Elizabeth sighed sadly and sat down.

"I wish she wasn't so bitter." she said, her eyes filling with tears. "I understand that she wants Catherine to be raised a Catholic, and I respect that. But why such enmity between us? Aren't we sisters, after all?"

The Queen sat down beside her and took her hand.

"You know what day it is today?" she asked. Elizabeth looked up, confused. What had that to do with anything?

"Think about it. What day is it?" the Queen asked again. Elizabeth thought for a moment.

"Um… Juli 4th." she said and looked at her step-mother. The Queen nodded.

"Exactly."

Finally Elizabeth understood.

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The maids curtsied as Mary entered her apartment. Some sat playing cards, some were reading and some were sowing. Mary walked passed without a word and entered her bed-room and closed the door behind her. Tired and weak, Mary sighed deeply as the door was closed, and she leaned against the door for a moment, her hand still on the handle. Then she turned and looked around. The sun shined brightly. She could hear the birds singing. She walked to the window and looked out. She saw her daughter run around with a small puppy behind her. She spun around and it was as if Mary could her Catherine giggled, even though the window was closed. The girl looked so happy, so care-free. As if nothing was amiss. But something was amiss. Something was missing. Mary felt a strange missing presence by her side. Where a comforting arm should have rested around her shoulders, there was nothing. Where she should have turned to see a happy smile, there was only thin air.

She quickly turned away and walked to the bed. She called for one of her maids and told her to help her out of her gown. She was helped into a night-gown. Not because she was tired, only because she wanted to sleep. To sleep and forget about this day. As if this day never happened.

"_Mary…"_

"_I am here, my love." Mary's eyes were red and filled with tears. She tried to hold them back, but she could not. She was not strong enough. She gently kissed Philip's hand and looked at him. His face was pale and was sweating. His voice was weak and hoarse. His sounded labored, like he couldn't breathe. He had been ill for days now. The sickness had now gone to the lungs, and Mary prayed in her heart for God to spare him. She kissed his sweaty forehead and whispered a prayer._

"_Please… No prayers a needed. God has… decided." Philip whispered and tried bravely to smile._

"_Don't say that! He won't take you, he can't! You… you are all I have." Mary cried desperately and held on tightly to his hand. He hushed and slowly reached for her. He caressed her cheek and let her tears glide down his hand._

"_You are so beautiful." he said softly. Mary smiled. She would always cherish the sound of his voice. "You will go on, Mary. You must."_

"_I cannot. Not without you." she whispered with her eyes closed._

"_You must!" Philip said strongly, but he was too weak. He started coughing and Mary reached out to support him as he tried to sit._

"_At least you can say goodbye this time." Philip said. "Unlike when your mother died."_

_Mary couldn't keep the tears back and fought hard not to cry. She wanted to be brave. Brave for Philip, brave for her mother._

"_Take care of Catherine. She needs you."_

"_I will."_

"_She will grow up to be a beautiful young woman. Like her mother." Philip smiled with his closed. Then he looked at Mary who smiled back. But then his smile faded. "I wish I could have seen her one last time."_

_Then a distant look came to his eyes and he fell silent. Mary sat up, desperately reached out to touch his face._

"_Philip?" Mary asked fiercely and squeezed his hand. Then he drew in a deep breath and Mary relaxed. Thank God. He was not gone yet._

"_I love you, Mary." he smiled and kissed her hand. His hand let go of hers and dropped down onto the bed. Mary smiled back._

"_I love you, Philip." she said gently._

"_I was never happier than I was with you." Then he fell silent, and was gone._

"_Philip? Philip!" she cried. Her heart seemed to have stopped beating. Desperately she put her arms around him and held him tight. She moved up on the bed and cradled his body in her arms. Outside her crying was heard by the servants that had gathered outside the bed-room. They crossed themselves. Their master was gone. The heart-breaking crying of their mistress was almost unbearable. It rang loud and clear down the corridor and seemed to fill the entire house, for all to hear. _

"_Please! Come back! Please, God, let him stay! Stay, Philip! Don't leave me! Don't leave me!"_

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"Come, get the ball!" Catherine beamed as the puppy rushed after the red ball the threw down the gravel path. It looked funny when the puppy took off. The stone and the dirt flew around the puppy and make a small cloud behind it. Catherine chuckled and sat down on a bench beside her. She was in circular enclosure surrounded by large hedges. There was a lake in the middle, the sun reflecting on the water. Catherine watched the dog with a smile and reached out as it came running back with the ball, proud that it had found it. The puppy put the ball on the ground by Catherine's feet. She reached for it a threw it again.

"You like your present?" a voice said behind her. She looked up and saw her grandfather approach. He walked with much difficulty and moaned in pain as he sat down beside her. But as soon as he had sat down he sighed in relief.

"Does your leg hurt?" Catherine asked concerned and looked up at him. She gently put her hand on his leg, hoping it would ease his pain. He smiled and took her little hand in his.

"No, child." he said softly. The puppy now returned and put the ball on the ground. Henry smiled and reached for the ball. He threw it down the path, further away than Catherine had done.

"Have you chosen a name for him?" Henry asked. Catherine shook her head.

"You should choose one, then." he said. "What do think he should be named?"

Catherine thought for a moment. She knew a lot of names, but not any name would do for a dog. Not a dog like this one.

"I think I will call him Philip. After my father." Catherine said and picked the puppy up as it returned. Henry didn't reply. He looked away and moved uncomfortably. Catherine waited for an answer and looked at him.

"You don't think I should call him that?" she asked. She didn't want to choose a name for her dog if her grandfather disagreed.

"That's a good name." Henry agreed with a smile.

They were silent for a moment. The puppy lay comfortably in Catherine's arms and happily indulged her caresses.

"You have your father's eyes, Catalina." Henry then said after having watched the girl for some time. Catherine looked back.

"Mother very rarely speaks of him. I think she misses him too much." Catherine said. Henry nodded. He knew that feeling.

"May I ask you something?" Catherine asked hesitantly. Henry chuckled at her nervousness.

"Of course. What is it?"

"Why do you call me Catalina?" she asked. Henry sighed and took her hand. He looked into her eyes, not knowing how to answer. He often saw some of his late wife in her eyes. Not her stubbornness or strength, like in Mary, but her goodness and kindness.

"I knew someone who was named Catherine. Her real name was Catalina, because she was from Spain." Henry said, deep in thought. For a moment he was far away, thinking of times long gone. A streak of guilt over-whelmed him. How he had wronged her. He had wronged many people over the years.

"Do you feel sad?" Catherine asked.

"No. You are here with me, are you not?" Henry said and pulled her closer. "My favorite grandchild."

"I am your only grandchild!" Catherine cried happily as Henry let her go. Catherine hugged him and began to run after Philip who barked happily. Henry watched her with a bittersweet smile. So young, so innocent. She was so kind and good and had no idea of the world's cruelness. He prayed God that she might never know the hardship he had known himself. He prayed she might be spared the life of court intrigue. He wanted his little Catherine to be happy, to live a good and long life.

"I know, and you mean so much more to me for it."

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"That was very nice of grandfather to give you the dog." Mary said as Catherine jumped into bed where the dog already was resting.

"Yes. And I will teach it tricks and show them to grandfather." Catherine smiled as she lay down under the covers. Mary sat down beside her and caressed her cheek.

"What name have you chosen for the dog?" she asked and looked at the dog. It looked back at her with big, dark eyes. As Mary smiled it lifted its head and slowly moved towards her.

"He likes you." Catherine chuckled as the dog calmly settled down in Mary's lap.

"Seems so. What's his name, then?" Mary asked.

"Philip." Catherine beamed, hoping it would please her mother. But Mary's smile faded as she looked from Catherine to the dog, which had closed its eyes. Philip? The dog's name was Philip? Well, Catherine had for so long been without a father. Was it then so surprising she had chosen that name?

"Well, sleep now." Catherine said and placed the dog on the floor. A bed of soft blankets had been made beside the bed and the dog seemed to know it was a bed for him.

"Goodnight." Mary said shortly and left the room.

"Goodnight." Catherine said, feeling a little disappointed. Was something wrong? Why did she leave without a goodnight kiss? Or a hug? She always hugged her before bedtime. Why not tonight? She pulled the covers right around her, trying to find a comfortable position to rest in. But she could not. Then she heard something behind her. She turned and saw Philip sitting on the bed. Catherine smiled. The dog slowly walked over on the other side and lay down beside her. Both their heads rested on the pillow and Catherine pulled the dog close, putting her arms around him. Philip didn't seem to mind. The dog licked Catherine's cheek once and soon fell asleep. Finally Catherine could find rest.

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**__That was chapter 2. Finally I finished it!_

_I must admit, I was not sure if it was the right choice to name Catherine's dog Philip, but there is a reason why. I am sure it's pretty obvious, but I am still not sure._

_Please review and let me know what you think!_


	3. Chapter 3

January 1547.

Christmas was now over. The palace seemed to slow down and continue its usual ways. It had been a Christmas like any other, all the traditions had been continued. But still, somehow, it might have been the coldest and darkest Christmas for years. The King had been ill for some time, confined in his chambers with only few allowed to visit him. The Queen had done her best to make it as happy a Christmas as possible, but still the lack of a King to take part in the celebrations hang like a shadow in every room of the palace, taking away the glint of joy that Christmas brings. For there was one thing that kept occupying people's conversations, something that seemed to over-shine even the most bright Christmas decoration.

The King was dying. All knew it. It was now only a matter of time. He had been ill before, and a few remained confident that he would soon get well. But as the days passed and the King still did not leave his chambers, those few vanished into none. All hoped it was not so, but it became clear to everyone at court that His Majesty would soon die and that his young son would be king. Everyone knew it, everyone thought about it, but no one talked about it. Or at least only in private. If the King heard of it, there was no telling what the consequences would be.

Mary did her best to make it a happy Christmas for her daughter. She did not want the child to suffer the gloom that penetrated the palace. She had Catherine spend time studying with her aunt and uncle, play with her dog or let the Queen read to her. Catherine always enjoyed sitting beside the Queen and listen to the stories she read. And the Queen enjoyed spending time with her step-granddaughter. Mary made herself and her siblings smile whenever Catherine was near, not let the child be upset whenever a doctor passed by in the corridors or talk of unpleasant things in her daughter's presence. Mary thought that the thought of losing her beloved grandfather would be too much for Catherine.

"She will have to know sooner or later, Mary. One day Father will die, and she will have to face that fact." Elizabeth said to her sister in private on the 7th of January. They sat alone in Mary's apartment, sewing. Outside the snow fell softly, leaving a white blanket all over the gardens. They heard the faint sound of a dog barking and a child laughing.

"She will know the day he dies." Mary said firmly, not looking at her sister. "I will not tell her and have her live with the very thought of it. She loves him far too much."

"I understand you want to save her the pain, but would it not be best being honest to her?" Elizabeth asked concerned. Mary sighed and looked at her sister.

"She will know soon enough. Perhaps it's best to spare her the pain until the pain is justified." Mary said and stood up. She walked to the window and looked down. Catherine ran pass right beneath the window with the dog Philip trailing behind her. Catherine threw a ball and laughed happily as the dog rushed after it. It proudly came back with the ball in its mouth and placed it at its mistress's feet. Catherine took it up. For a moment she looked down at her dog. Perhaps she said something to her dear friend. Then she knelt and gently stroke the animal's back. They walked back towards the door and went inside.

"She seems very concerned about her dog's well-being." Elizabeth said behind Mary. She smiled and walked back to the fireplace. Mary nodded. Catherine was a good, kind-hearted girl, a daughter to be proud of. Ever since she was little, Catherine had been an easy child, never too demanding, always obedient. And with great joy Mary had watched her grow into the sweetest child, and it pleased Mary immensely to think of what a woman she would become. Philip would have been proud of her. So very proud.

The door opened and the Queen stepped in. Mary and Elizabeth curtsied, and Mary gestured for the Queen to sit down. The Queen looked worried.

"Are you feeling well?" Elizabeth asked.

"Oh yes, thank you." the Queen replied. "It's your father I am worried about."

"He is not getting any better, is he?" Elizabeth asked. Mary continued her sewing without taking part in the conversation.

"I am afraid not. He… he often does not speak. He just… lies there, staring out the window." the Queen said, her voice almost trembling. Her face was pale, and it was clear she had not slept well lately.

"Is Edward studying?" Elizabeth asked.

"No, he is with his uncle."

"Damn Seymour." Mary remarked without the others hearing it.

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The soft sound of footsteps echoed down the hall. The windows had been covered in this part of the palace, and the only light came from a few torches. At the end of the corridor stood two guards. She walked up to them and looked up.

"I want to see my grandfather." she demanded. But the guards remained motionless.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but we cannot let you in."

"Why not?" Catherine asked. She wanted to see her grandfather, why would they not let her? It had been long since she had last seen him. He couldn't be busy all the time, could he?

"We have orders not to, Your Highness." the guard said. He tried to keep a strong voice, but the look of sorrow in the little princess's eyes was almost too much. She had looked so happy when she came here, looking forward to seeing her grandfather, but now she looked defeated.

"Oh." Catherine said softly. The guard took a deep breath and tried to avoid the pain in the girl's eyes. Such disappointment and yet she dealt with it with such poise. She turned around and began to walk away. She reached the far end of the corridor, and then she heard the guard call behind her.

"Wait! I will go see if your grandfather will see you."

Catherine turned around and rushed back. She stopped by the door and waited as the guard walked through the door and quickly closed it behind him. Catherine tried to see what was behind the door, but it was closed before she could see anything properly. She waited patiently, looking at the door, hoping it would open soon.

Then it opened and the guard came out. He smiled, but it was not a happy smile.

"He wants to see you, Your Highness." he said and opened the door for her.

The room was even darker than the corridor outside. Two candles stood at the far end by a large bed with heavy curtains. She heard a sound of laboured breathing from the bed. She saw a large figure moving slightly in the bed. Carefully she stepped forward. There was an unaired smell in the room, as if the windows had been closed for a very long time. A rusty voice called from the bed, and Catherine stopped in shock.

"Catherine? Catalina, dear, are you there?"

She recognised her grandfather's voice. She dared move closer until she stood beside the bed. Her grandfather smiled faintly as he saw her. He reached out and caressed her cheek.

He looked so different. The grandfather she knew was strong and powerful, now he was pale and looked so much older than the last time she saw him. He looked tired and ill, and his breath was laboured.

"So you… have come to see your dear old grandfather, eh?" he chuckled and took her little hand into his own large hand. Catherine smiled back and sat down on the bed.

"I haven't seen you in a long time, grandfather." she said. Henry nodded.

"I have not… been well, sweetheart. No doubt your mother has not wanted you to see me while I am in such a state as this." he said regretfully.

"But when you are sick, you should have your family with you. Mother has always been there for me when I was sick." Catherine said and made her grandfather chuckle.

"You are right." he smiled. "Perhaps you will act as my nurse and stay with me until I get better?"

"If you want to." Catherine said, happy if she could help. They sat alone in the dark for a little while. Catherine's hand was still clutched in Henry's, and their eyes often met and exchanged loving smiles. Then Henry lifted his free hand and pointed to a desk across the room.

"Open the right drawer and bring me the little box you'll find there."

Catherine walked to the desk and found a box. It had a rose carved on the lit. She walked back to her grandfather and handed it to him. He gestured for her to keep it.

"Open it."

The lit was tight and she fought to open it. Finally the lit got up and she looked inside the box. A deep red cloth of silk covered a small object. She took the little package up. It felt heavy in her hands.

"Take a look at the little object in there." Henry said and pointed at her hand. She moved away the cloth and saw a ring of gold. It had a beautiful red ruby on it. It was clear it was a hatch, and with her fingernail she opened it. It had a portrait inside. Of a young woman with dark eyes and long dark hair. She seemed familiar, but Catherine didn't know why.

"Your grandmother." Henry whispered. "I had it made some time after I married her. I was away fighting, and I missed her greatly."

"What was she like?" Catherine asked. Her mother very rarely spoke of her mother, so Catherine knew next to nothing about her.

"She was… a great beauty in her young years. Strong, wise, spoke her mind even when she shouldn't. But she was kind and compassionate, very intelligent and gracious, and I loved her dearly. We were happy together. She was my first great love. And I mistreated her in the worst possible way."

Catherine kept staring at the portrait. She could not take her eyes away from the woman who was her grandmother, her mother's mother. How beautiful she looked, like her daughter. Then she noticed her grandfather was silent. She looked at him. He stared into thin air, as if he was in his own thoughts and did not know she was there.

"We sometimes forget whom we truly love and who we truly are. We want something, and then we ruin it. Power corrupts, it's said. Then absolute power must corrupt absolutely. Perhaps that was my great fault. I had all the power in the world, and I misused it. And others suffered because of it. Yes, that must be so. They all suffered."

Then Henry looked at Catherine, fully intending to look at her. He took her hand again, closing it around the ring.

"Never forget to love, and never forget to keep your feet on the ground where they belong. Power is not what matters."

He fell silent and then he smiled.

"Now, run along. I'm very tired." Once again he closed her hand around the ring. "And keep this."

Catherine kissed her grandfather's hand and left the room. The guards still kept watch and didn't move as she walked through the door, closed it and walked down the corridor. The ring was heavy in her hand, but she didn't mind. It was her grandfather's and it had a portrait of her grandmother.

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"Now, are you ready to go to bed?" Mary asked with a smile as she entered her daughter's room. Catherine sat by the fireplace and rolled a ball to her dog who pushed it back. Catherine stood up and nodded. She walked to the bed and sat down.

"Goodnight, sweetheart." Mary smiled and kissed her daughter's cheek.

"Goodnight, mother."

"Tomorrow we'll go riding together. Won't that be fun?" Mary asked. Catherine beamed enthusiastically.

"Yes, it would. Can aunt Elizabeth and uncle Edward come?" she asked. Mary nodded with a chuckle.

"Yes, they can."

Mary left the room and locked the door. Catherine walked to a desk and found the ring. She had put it there for the time being, and she had hoped her mother would not find it. Luckily, she had not._**  
**_Catherine hid the ring beneath her pillow. She kissed it before going to sleep and lifted her dog up on the bed. It licked her cheek and lay down beside her, resting its head on the pillow just like her. She smiled. Sometimes that dog behaved like a human. She moved her hand beneath the pillow so her fingers touched the ring.

"Goodnight, grandfather." she whispered before falling asleep. "And goodnight, grandmother."

_A shadow moved across the room. The fireplace was blown dead cold. The curtains moved lightly, even though the windows were closed. The shadow moved towards the bed. The dog lifted its head but slowly lowered it again. The shadow leaned over the sleeping child and gently caressed her cheek and her soft hair. A loving kiss was placed on her brow._

"_Sleep well, child. May you know true happiness." The voice was carried by the wind, gone as soon as it came. As the shadow smiled happily, tears in its eyes, the child smiled peacefully, as if it knew of the presence of the protective shadow._

Catherine woke up the next morning and found that the ring was still safe underneath her pillow. She put on her robe and went to the window to see if it was snowing. But as she passed the table, she stopped. A pomegranate lay amongst the other fruit on the table. Strange. Catherine did not remember asking for a pomegranate.

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_Okay, this last bit might be cheesy, but I like it anyway._

_And sorry for the big delay, I have been busy and not felt very inspired to write. But I am going to continue and finish this story, which is by no means finished yet._

_Though Mary might be harsh, do remember she means well._

_I always thought that Catherine of Aragon was Henry's first great love. He might have loved a lot of women, but she was the first he truly loved. But that's just the way I see it._

_And I know I put some hatred in from Mary towards the Seymour's but I guess Jane was the only one in that family she liked._


End file.
